UTICA, NY- The Utica University women's lacrosse team will play its first home game of the 2022 season on Thursday against SUNY New Paltz. The game that was originally scheduled for Feb. 27 is set to start at 2 p.m. from Charles A. Gaetano Stadium. 
 
Last Time Out: Utica earned an exciting 11-10 overtime victory in its season-opener on Mar. 5 at Oswego State. The Lakers outscored Utica 6-2 in the second half to force overtime, but sophomore Alyssa Drell (Mastic, NY/William Floyd) scored the game-winning goal just 1:34 into the extra frame to send the Pioneers home with the victory. Six different players scored for Utica in the win. Senior Emily Rossi (Verona, NY/Vernon-Verona-Sherrill) led Utica with four points (three goals, one assist) against Oswego St. which marked the highest scoring game of her career. 
 
Hot Out of the Gates: Senior Lexi Scaccia (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) has been a dominant force for Utica throughout her collegiate career. In the first game against Oswego, Scaccia picked up right where she left off in 2021, contributing three goals which included the goal that sent the game into overtime. With her three points, Scaccia is currently riding a 34-game point streak that dates back to March 12, 2019. In her 37 career games, Scaccia has recorded at least one point in 36 of them.
 
The Grass is Green Here: Senior captain Addison Green (Marcy, NY/Whitesboro) was another Pioneer who carried their 2021 success into 2022. Green scored two goals for Utica against Oswego, marking her third consecutive game with two or more goals dating back to last season. Green has now hit the 40-point mark in her Pioneer career over the span of 37 games. 
 
Sophomore Success: The remaining goals, including the overtime game-winner, were all scored by sophomores. In the first quarter, Mara Cunningham (Queensbury, NY/Queensbury) started off the scoring for the Utica sophomores off of an assist from sophomore Alyssa Drell (Mastic, NY/William Floyd). In the second, sophomore Devin Ryan (Orchard Park, NY/Buffalo Academy of the Sacred Heart) found the back of the net with an assist from sophomore Alyssa Pisano (Hopewell Junction, NY/Arlington). Drell was the hero for the Pioneers in the game against Oswego when she scored the overtime game winning goal to lift the Pioneers past the Lakers 11-10. This goal was Drell's first career game winning goal.
 
Protect the Cage: Senior goaltender Claire Frier (Lafayette, NY/Lafayette) earned her first win of the season against Oswego. In the game, Frier made 13 saves en route to her 13th career win as the netminder for Utica. This was the first time Frier has made 13 saves in a game since the 2020-2021 season opener against Rochester Institute of Technology on Mar. 10, 2021. 
 
Scouting New Paltz: The Hawks travel to Utica with an overall record of 2-2 after suffering a 15-10 loss to Stockton University on Mar. 12. The team has averaged 10 goals per game over its first four games while owning a 51.3 shot percentage and has allowed just over 10 goals per game to opponents. Katie Zito and Kaitlyn Shaw have combined for 27 of New Paltz's goals, Zito netting 15 over four games while Shaw has posted 12. In goal, Hailey Aber has started each of the team's first four games while collecting 33 saves on a 43.4 save percentage. 

Looking Ahead: Utica will hit the road once again on Saturday as the team travels to Purchase, NY for a 10 a.m. battle with Manhattanville College.